Ying Luo goes around and whistling while Fu Heng catches up to her, grabs her wrist, and confronts her about the fur that she gave Hai Lancha. Just then, Snowball comes out, and Ying Luo tells Fu Heng that she didn't have the heart to kill the dog since it didn't do anything wrong - it was just that it had a bad owner. Fu Heng sighs, then promises her that he would help Snowball find a new home outside the palace. Ying Luo then complains that her arm is hurting because Fu Heng was holding onto her arm too tightly and asked him to blow on it to make it feel better. He refused.
Ying Luo then meets up with Auntie Zhang and gave her some handmade legwarmers. Auntie Zhang then asks her why she chose a fake fur with a black spot when she knew that Snowball was pure white. Ying Luo tells her that Hai Lancha and Fu Heng are very close and she intentionally wanted Fu Heng to know she didn't kill Snowball. Because of the hot water bottle case, she wanted to show Fu Heng that she is kind-hearted to dismiss any suspicions he has of her. Ying Luo then tells Auntie Zhang not to warn her anymore as she will continue to be heartless if she needs to in order to find her sister's murderer. Auntie Zhang smiles and said that a heartless person wouldn't help Lady Ju or feed her own food to Snowball.
Noble Consort Gao complains about her tea, saying that it wasn't of the same quality that she is used to. Lady Jia comes in and meets her, asking for her forgiveness. The servant then comes and reports that the Eunuch that was bullied was outside. Noble Consort Gao said that she would forgive her in one condition...
Consort Xian is worried about her brother even though she gave her money. She is worried that he would blame her for not helping him. Just then, the Emperor comes to her place. He is angry about something that her father did. He embezzled money to help his son (the Consort's brother). She retorts, saying that he would never do something like that. The Emperor is furious that Consort Xian talked back to him. Consort Xian then visits her father in jail, only to find out that he did embezzled money in order to save her brother. She is disappointed that he went against what he stands by and what he taught her to get the money. He begs her to help him but she walks away.
When she comes back, her mother is outside, asking Consort Xian to help her father. Consort Xian yells back at her, saying that he only did that because she keeps begging him to save her brother. She's angry that her mother made her father go against his own philosophy. Just then, a servant comes and tells them that the brother just died. The mother continues to yell at Consort Xian, saying that it was her fault that he died, and that the biggest mistake of her life is that she gave birth to her. She then runs towards a cement wall and kills herself.
The Empress is teaching Ying Luo how to write when a servant tells her what happened to Consort Xian. Cut to Noble Consort Gao and Lady Jia laughing at the whole ordeal, saying that they wished they were there to see it all unfold. The Empress wants to visit Consort Xian but decides to give her some space instead. She wants to go to the Emperor to help Consort Xian's Father, saying that she knows Consort Xian's character, and that she can't see someone like her suffer that much. Ming Yu warns her not to do it in case she angers the Emperor. The Empress asks Ying Luo for her input and she says that she should, but be careful of how she asks the Emperor. She said that it would be better to say that she's asking on behalf of Consort Xian...
The Empress first tries to sweet talk the Emperor into letting Consort Xian's father off, however, he doesn't budge on his decision. Thus, the Empress kneels before him, asking him again to revert his decision, saying that it was money that she gave her. She said that she wanted to send a doctor to look at her brother but she didn't want the word to get out that she was overstepping her boundaries so she didn't do so.
The word travels to Consort Xian that the Empress went to beg the Emperor on her behalf. She doesn't seem to happy about it. She changes into a black outfit and then visits the Empress. Ying Luo notices that her demeanour seems different from before.
Fu Heng catches Prince Yi with Lady Jia's maid and confronts them.
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Ying Luo really knows how to manipulate people, even using a dog to sway Fu Heng. I wonder if there is anymore to Snowball... will someone find out that he's still alive and Fu Heng will get in trouble that way? Would she tell someone that Fu Heng went against the King's orders and saved Snowball?
I think this is a key episode in which Consort Xian breaks out of her 'goody-two-shoes' character and start getting involved in the palace politics (as alluded by her outfit change from light colours to black). My heart goes out to her character - she's doing everything right but looses everything. I think the death of her family members is enough to break her out of her bubble that she's trying so hard not to pop. I just hope that she's on the Empress' side and helps her bring down Noble Consort Gao and Lady Jia.